The ‘Raised on Weet-Bix’ campaign, created by BWM, features a poem created by the agency’s copywriter Zac Pritchard and creative director Tom Manion.

Pritchard, the primary author of the emotionally-charged poem, is also the ad’s voice over after extensive testing failed to reveal talent who could match his authenticity.

The combination of poetry, which is an “underused technique in marketing” according to BWM’s Rob Belgiovane, and the ad’s split screen has given the Sanitarium brand a “fresh tone and manner”.

“Which is very important in the cereal category which is just full of athletes making recommendations on what they eat,” Belgiovane, the agency’s executive creative director, told B&T.

'Raised on Weet-Bix' poem:

To every single Aussie Born

At daytime, night-time, dusk or dawn

Born in the city or born in the country

From Margaret River to Manly, The Simpson to The Daintree

No matter if you’re born a boy or a girl

If you want to lead the playground or take on the world

Whether you like surfing, or you’re a mathematician

If you’re really funny, or good in the kitchen

If you dream of being famous, or you’re just working hard

If you play in the stadium, or the backyard

From the moment you can stand, or even sit

Every Aussie’s raised a Weet-Bix Kid.

While sports stars still play a role in the campaign, Weet-Bix has a number of ambassadors including Socceroo Tim Cahill, they aren’t the heroes of this execution.

“It is about who we are as Australians not just about elite athletes,” Belgiovane said.

“This campaign wanted to be accessible to people who may not be elite athletes… maybe they want to be a great drummer or a great singer, so we ventured into the arts a bit more to try and capture things people are interested in beyond Olympic sports.”

Cahill and fellow Weet-Bix kid surfing champion Mikey Wright are profiled as part of the campaign alongside everyday Australians.

The campaign, which launched in time for Australia Day, includes a “robust” digital push which will ask fans to talk about how they were raised on Weet-Bix.

This social interaction will feature in the campaign’s second stage, which Belgiovane described as “quite exciting”.

“The development of it will be driven by getting direct involvement through social media,” he said, but declined to comment further.

Sanitarium’s general manager of marketing, Daniel Derrick, said: “Weet-Bix has been a trusted and iconic Australian breakfast since 1928. Through Raised on Weet-Bix we are celebrating the individuality of all Australians, whilst acknowledging a national breakfast that unites millions of us every day, each enjoying Weet-Bix in their own particular way.”

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